Common American Phrases

by Richard A. Spears 1. Am I glad to see you! I am very glad to see you! (Not a question. There is a stress on I and another on you.) Bill: Well, I finally got here! John: Boy howdy! Am I glad to see you! Tom (as Bill opens the door): Here I am, Bill. What's wrong? Bill: Boy, am I glad to see you! Come on in. The hot water heater exploded. 2. Anything you say. Yes. I agree. Mary: Will you please take this over to the cleaners? Bill: Sure, anything you say. Sally: You are going to finish this before you leave tonight, aren't you? Mary: Anything you say. 3. As I see it (in my opinion; in my view) the way I think about it. Tom: This matter is not as bad as some would make it out to be. Alice: Yes. This whole affair has been overblown, as I see it. Bob: You are wrong as can be. John: In my view, you are wrong. 4. As we speak just now; at this very moment. (This has almost reached clich status.) - "I'm sorry, sir," consoled the agent at the gate, "the plane is taking off as we speak." Tom: Waiter, where is my steak? It's taking a long time. Waiter: It is being grilled as we speak, sir - just as you requested. *** 5. Be my guest Help yourself. After you. (A polite way of indicating that one should go first, help oneself, or take the last bit of something.) Mary: I would just love to have some more cake, there is only one piece left. Sally: Be my guest. Mary: Wow! Thanks!

Jane: Here's the door. Who should go in first? Bill: Be my guest. I'll wait out here. Jane: Why don't you go first? 6. Beat it! Go away!; Get out! (Slang) Bill: Sorry I broke your radio. Bob: Get out of here! Beat it! "Beat it, you kids! Go play somewhere else!" yelled the storekeeper. 7. Bite your tongue! an expression said to someone who has just stated an unpleasant supposition that unfortunately may be true. Mary: I am afraid that we've missed the plane already. Jane: Bite your tongue! We still have time. Mary: Marry him? But you're older than he is! Sally: Bite your tongue! 8. Boys will be boys That's the kind of thing that boys seem to do.; That's the kind of silly behavior that boys and men exhibit. They really messed up the living room, but boys will be boys. Boys will be boys, but they can be trained. 9. Break a leg! a parting word of encouragement given to a performer before a performance. (It is traditionally viewed as bad luck to wish a performer good luck, so the performer is wished bad luck in hopes of causing good luck.) Bill: The big show is tonight. I hope I don't forget my lines. Jane: Break a leg, Bill! Mary: I am nervous about my solo. Bob: You'll do great. Don't worry. Break a leg! 10. Call again Please visit this shop again sometime. (Said by shopkeepers and clerks.) "Thank you," said the clerk, smiling. "Call again." CLERK: Is that everything? JOHN: Yes. CLERK: That's ten dollars even. JOHN: Here you are. CLERK: Thanks. Call again.

11. Come again 1. Please come back again sometime. MARY: I had a lovely time. Thank you for asking me. SALLY: You're quite welcome. Come again. "Come again" said Mrs. Martin as she let Jimmy out the door. 2. (usually Come again?) I didn't hear what you said. Please repeat it. (A little dated and folksy.) SALLY: Do you want some more carrots? MARY: Come again? SALLY: Carrots. Do you want some more carrots? Uncle Henry turned his good ear toward the clerk and said, "Come again?" 12. Come off it! Don't act so haughty!; Stop acting that way! TOM: This stuff doesn't meet my requirements. BILL: Come off it, Tom! This is exactly what you've always bought. TOM: That doesn't mean I like it. MARY: We are not amused by your childish antics. SUE: Come off it, Mary. Who do you think you're talking to? 13. Cut it out! Stop doing that!; Stop saying that! (colloquial and familiar.) SUE: Why, I think you have a crush on Mary! TOM: Cut it out! "Cut it out!" yelled Tommy as Billy hit him again. 14. Cut to the chase to get to the important matters. Let's stop all this chatter and cut to the chase. I like the way you cut to the chase and don't waste my time. 15. Dear me! an expression of mild dismay or regret. Sue: Dear me, is this all there is? Mary: There's more in the kitchen. "Oh, dear me!" fretted John, "I'm late again." 16. Dig in!

Please start eating your meal (heartily). When we were all seated at the table, Grandfather said, "Dig in!" and we all did. Sue: Sit down, everybody. Bob: Wow! This stuff looks good! Alice: It sure does. Sue: Dig in! 17. Do you want to step outside? an expression inviting someone to go out-of-doors to settle an argument by fighting. John: Drop dead! Bob: All right, I've had enough out of you. You want to step outside? Bill: So, you're mad at me! What else is new? You've been building up to this for a long time. Bob: Do you want to step outside and settle this once and for all? Bill: Why not? 18. Don't bother Please don't do it. It is not necessary, and it is too much trouble. Mary: Should I put these in the box with the others? Bill: No, don't bother. Sue: Do you want me to save this spoonful of mashed potatoes? Jane: No, don't bother. It isn't worth it. Sue: I hate to waste it. 19. Don't sweat it! Don't worry about it. (Slang) Bill: I think I'm flunking algebra! Bob: Don't sweat it! Everybody's having a rough time. Mary: Good grief! I just stepped on the cat's tail, but I guess you heard. Sue: Don't sweat it! The cat's got to learn to keep out of the way. 20. Drop it! / Drop the subject! Do not discuss it further! Bill: Yes, you're gaining a little weight. I thought you were on a diet. Sally: That's enough! Drop the subject! Bill: That house looks expensive. What do you think it's worth? Mary: That's my aunt's house. Just what did you want to know about it? Bill: Oh, drop it! Sorry I asked. 21. Enough is enough! That's enough! I won't stand for any more! Sue: That color of lipstick is all wrong for you, Sally. Sally: Enough is enough! Sue, get lost!

Sue: I was just trying to help. Bob: Enough is enough! I'm leaving! Bill: What on earth did I do? Bob: Good-bye. 22. gee an expression of disappointment, disagreement, surprise, or other emotions. (Words such as this often use intonation to convey the connotation of the sentence that is to follow. The brief intonation pattern accompanying the word may indicate sarcasm, disagreement, caution, consolation, sternness, etc.) "Gee, why not?" whined Billy. Bill: Gee, I really want to go. Jane: Well then, go ahead and go! John: Gee, Tom, I'm sort of surprised. Tom: You shouldn't be. Alice: Gee, I thought you were gone. Bob: No, I'm still here. 23. Give me a break! 1. Please give me a chance!; Please give me another chance! Bob: I know I can do it. Let me try again. Mary: Well, I don't know. Bob: Give me a break! Mary: Well, okay. "Give me a break!" cried Mary to the assistant director. "I know I can handle the part." 2. I have had enough! Drop this matter!; Stop bothering me! Tom: Now, I'm going to sing a song about the hill people in my country. Mary: Give me a break! Sing something I know! "Give me a break!" shouted Bob. "Go away and stop bothering me!" 24. go the extra mile to try harder to please someone or to get the task done correctly; to do more than one is required to do to reach a goal. I like doing business with that company. They always go the extra mile. My teacher goes the extra mile to help us. 25. Guess what! a way of starting a conversation; a way of forcing someone into a conversation. Alice: Guess what! Bob: I don't know. What? Alice: I'm going to Europe this summer.

Bob: That's very nice. John: Jane: John: Jane: Guess what! What? Mary is going to have a baby. Oh, that's great!

26. Hang in there. Be patient, things will work out. Bob: Everything is in such a mess. I can't seem to get things done right. Jane: Hang in there, Bob. Things will work out. Mary: Sometimes I just don't think I can go on. Sue: Hang in there, Mary. Things will work out. 27. Have a go at it. Give it a try. Try your hand at it. Alice: Wow! This is fun! Bob: Can I have a go at it? Tom: I am having a good time painting this fence. It takes a lot of skill. Henry: It does look challenging. Tom: Here, have a go at it. Henry: Thanks! 28. Help yourself. Please take what you want without asking permission. Sally: Can I have one of these doughnuts? Bill: Help yourself. Mother led the little troop of my friends to the kitchen table, which was covered with cups of juice and plates of cookies. "Help yourself", she said. 29. Hold it! Stop right there. Tom: Hold it! Mary: What's wrong? Tom: You almost stepped on my contact lens. Bill: Hold it! Bob: What is it? Bill: Sorry, for a minute, that stick looked like a snake. 30. Hold your horses! Slow down! Don't be so eager! Mary: Come on, Sally, let's get going! Sally: Oh, hold your horses! Don't be in such a rush!

"Hold your horses!" said Fred to the herd of small boys trying to get into the station wagon. 31. I can live with that That is something I can get used to.; That is all right as far as I'm concerned. Sue: I want to do this room in green. Bill: I can live with that. Clerk: This one will cost twelve dollars more. Bob: I can live with that. I'll take it. 32. (I) can't beat that / (I) can't top that. I cannot do better than that.; I cannot exceed that. Henry: That was really great. I can't beat that. Rachel: Yes, that was really good. "What a great joke! I can't top that", said Kate, still laughing. 33. I hear what you're saying / I hear you. 1. I know exactly what you mean. John: The prices in this place are a bit steep. Jane: Man, I hear you! Bill: I think it's about time for a small revolution! Andrew: I hear what you're saying. no 2. an expression indicating that the speaker has been heard but implying that there is agreement.

Tom: Time has come to do something about that ailing dog of yours. Mary: I hear what you're saying. Jane: It would be a good idea to have the house painted. John: I hear what you're saying. 34. I owe you one. Thank you for doing something that benefits me, now I owe you a favor. Bob: I put the extra copy of the book on your desk. Sue: Thanks. I owe you one. Bill: Let me pay for it. Bob: Thanks a lot. I owe you one. 35. It's on me. I will pay this bill. (Usually a bill for a meal or drinks) As the waiter set down the glasses, Fred said, "It's on me" and grabbed the check. John: Check, please.

Bill: No, it's on me this time. 36. I've been there. I know exactly what you are talking about.; I know exactly what you are going through. John: Wow! Those sales meetings really wear me out! Jane: I know what you mean. I've been there. Sue: These employment interviews are very tiring. Bob: I know it! I've been there. 37. Knock it off! Be quiet!; Stop that noise! (Slang.) John: Hey, you guys! Knock it off! Bob: Sorry. Bill: Sorry. I guess we got a little carried away. Sue: All right. Knock it off! Bill: Yeah. Let's get down to business. 38. the lesser of two evils the less bad thing, of a pair of bad things. I didn't like either politician, so I voted for the lesser of two evils. Given the options of going out with someone I don't like or staying home and watching a boring television program, I chose the lesser of two evils and watched television. 39. Let's call it a day. Let us end what we are doing for the day. Mary: Well, that's the end of the reports. Nothing else to do. Sue: Let's call it a day. Bob: Let's call it a day. I'm tired. Tom: Me too. Let's get out of here. 40. Long time no see. I have not seen you in a long time.; We have not seen each other in a long time. Tom: Hi, Fred. Where have you been keeping yourself? Fred: Good to see you, Tom. Long time no see. John: It's Bob! Hi, Bob! Bob: Hi, John. Long time no see. 41. lull before the storm a quiet period just before a period of great activity or excitement. It was very quiet in the cafeteria just before the students came in for lunch. It was the

lull before the storm. In the brief lull before the storm, the clerks prepared themselves for the doors to open and bring in thousands of shoppers. 42. Now you're talking! Now you are saying the right things. Tom: I won't put up with her behavior any longer. I'll tell her exactly what I think of it. Bill: Now you're talking! John: When I get back to school, I'm going to study harder than ever. Mother: Now you're talking! 43. Now, now a calming and consoling phrase that introduces good advice. - "Now, now, don't cry," said the mother to the tiny baby. Jane: I'm so upset! Andrew: Now, now, everything will work out all right. 44. Over my dead body! a defiant phrase indicating the strength of one's opposition to something. (A joking response is "That can be arranged.") Sally: Alice says she'll join the circus no matter what anybody says. Father: Over my dead body! Sally: Now, now. You know how she is. Bill: I think I'll rent out our spare bedroom. Sue: Over my dead body! Bill (smiling): That can be arranged. 45. Run that by (me) again. AND Run it by (me) again. Please repeat what you just said.; Please go over that one more time. (Slang) Alice: Do you understand? Sue: No, I really didn't understand what you said. Run that by me again, if you don't mind. 46. Says you! It is just you who are saying that, so it does not matter. Bill: I think you're headed for some real trouble. Bob: Says you! Fred: Says who? Ton: Says me! Fred: Aw, says you! 47. Shame on you!

a phrase scolding someone for being naughty. (Typically said to a child or to an adult for a childish infraction.) John: I think I broke one of your figurines. Mary: Shame on you! John: I'll replace it, of course. Mary: Thanks, I sort of liked it. 48. So much for that. That is the end of that.; We will not be dealing with that anymore. John tossed the stub of a pencil into the trash. "So much for that," he muttered, fishing through his drawer for another.